Burn and Shiver
by insert-obscure-reference-here
Summary: When Justin's sister flies into town with her new fiance in tow, a lot of questions are raised on both ends; AU.
1. An Object To Crave

Brian felt like he was absolutely going to vomit. He peeked out into the aisle to see if the stewardess was making her way back with his drink (scotch- his third to be exact) yet. Normally he wouldn't be so jittery and outwardly impatient. Brian _Kinney_? Showing signs of nervousness? Pshaw. People far beyond his New York City boundaries could tell you that he's the most self-assured, strong-willed, egocentric prick you'll ever get the pleasure of even hearing about. It's actually true, too. Most of the time. He doesn't have the energy to pull himself together now, and the only person he knows on this god awful airplane is passed out from the vodka and sleeping pill cocktail she downed an hour ago.

The weight of her head on his shoulder only proved to make Brian feel more suffocated, and the tickle of her blonde hair against his neck more agitated. In her sleep she nuzzles in and snakes her arms around one of his in a possessive grasp. She might as well just slip a collar around his neck and be done with it.

Quite honestly he was seconds away from throwing open the emergency exit and flinging himself out of the plane when the flight attendant _finally_ made an appearance. He snatches the small bottle from her hands and throws it back faster than he originally intended. "Another?" He requests gruffly, receiving a dubious look in return.

"Sir, I'm not so sure-"

"Please?" He cuts her off, flashing a sweet smile. His eyes lock with hers in an openly flirtatious way, and her knees are near quivering when she diverts her gaze shyly. Her attention is brought to the blonde draped across the right side of his body. The pale hands clutching the expensive fabric of Brian's button down shirt. The short fingers with claw-like pink nails at the tips, and the whopper of a diamond flaunted elegantly on her left ring finger for all to see.

The stewardess frowns- either from discontent at being played, or the shame that such a catch is already so permanently spoken for- and places her hands on her hips in an assertive gesture. "I'm sorry, Sir, but you'll have to hold out until you make it to the airport bar. This isn't an appropriate setting to overindulge yourself."

Brian sneered as he watched her saunter away. There was nothing that got his blood boiling more than someone who didn't immediately bend to his will. It's not like he always worked so hard to look this perfect to actually _impress_ people. It was a manipulation tactic, and when someone didn't fall at his feet like a puddle of goo it was safe to assume that they didn't get along very well.

Women. He fucking hated them sometimes.

Justin yawned and swung his legs up onto Daphne's lap. "I'm so fucking bored. Their plane was supposed to be here twenty minutes ago. Let's just leave. Britney can afford a fucking cab. Or a limo. Or buy out an entire Greyhound Bus."

"While I'm sure she probably _could_," Daphne laughed jabbing him in the thigh. "Your mom gave you that stern '_do this or I'll be disappointed in you_' look that you can never resist. You're stuck with her and the happy hubby."

"Whether he's happy or not is yet to be determined," he replied dryly. "And he's not her husband yet. If he has any fucking brains at all he'll get out while he still can. If he's not having doubts yet, our family will surely plant the seed."

Scoffing, Daphne pushed him off of her as the plane's arrival was announced. "Your family isn't _that_ bad, Justin." He shot her a challenging look. "Well okay, your dad's not all that great, but your mom is wonderful. And Molly's cool!"

"I can imagine dinner tonight perfectly." Justin frowns and makes his way over to the growing crowd, acting as if Daphne hadn't even spoken. "Dad will sit Brad or Brent or whatever down and give him a strong, _manly_ handshake. '_See Justin? This is how a __**man**__ acts!_' They'll talk about their matching high salaries and make jokes about how much pussy they used to get before they got tied down. Then Mom will just gush over how handsome he is- because Britney doesn't settle for any less! '_Oh, just look at you! Can I get you more wine? How about a slice of cake?_' She'll be an overbearing freak just like she always is, because if she's not she'll probably explode at Dad for being an asshole. And the whole time Molly will sit there on her phone or making goo-goo eyes at the guy. '_Like, you have really nice hair. You could be a model, you know?_' Meanwhile I'll sit quietly at the end of the table, being either completely ignored or publicly ridiculed."

Daphne rolled her eyes and gave Justin a shove forward. "Are you done yet? Because you're being a brat. Maybe this guy will turn out to actually be nice. Maybe he'll mellow Britney out and you two will get along like you used to. Love changes people, you know."

"The only person Britney's capable of loving is herself. She's proven that plenty over the years."

The both of them fell silent as they watched a ripple go through the cluster of people around the gate. Several grumbled complaints reached their ears, and it didn't take long to figure out who was causing the disruption. The first thing Justin saw was a pair of small alabaster hands poking out from the crowd, and then the crowd parted as the petite blonde attached to them shoved aside everyone in her way.

Family. He fucking hated it sometimes.

That classic reunion scene was the last thing to unfold as Britney stalked forward apathetically. "Justin," she acknowledged shortly. Her eyes fixed on Daphne with a look of distaste. "I see _she's_ still around. I never understood you Justin."

"I wouldn't say never. There was a short time there where you did. Of course, that was _before_ you started prancing around like you had an icicle shoved up your ass… Or was it before I admitted that I liked shoving things up _my_ ass? I can't seem to remember…"

Before she could respond with a condescending and revile comment a tall brunet stepped up beside her looking none too pleased. "Jesus fucking Christ, Brit," he growled thrusting the purse in his hands towards her awkwardly. "I'm not your bag boy. If you can't carry your own shit don't bother bringing it. I'll just leave it next time."

Justin couldn't help the small grin that escaped. Maybe this guy really wouldn't be so bad after all. He did have to give his sister a round of applause for this one. He was gorgeous! And not in that pretty boy sort of way either. Well, he _was_ well groomed and probably used a ton of expensive products to look that good, but he appeared to be all **man**. He had an animalistic quality that made him sexy enough to have even Justin swooning. And Justin was _not_ a swooner.

His sister's fiancé fixed a pair of hazel eyes on him that glued him to the spot. The charming half smile had Justin about ready to faint. "You must be Justin, right? I'm Brian Kinney. Thanks for taking the time to pick us up. It's nice to finally meet you." He paused for a beat. "Is this your girlfriend?"

"Daphne?" He almost died keeping that bout of laughter inside. Oh, to be straight and presumptuous. "Nah. She's too black for me." He reveled in his mortified expression. "And I'm also faggot. Funny how Britney didn't mention that."

Britney's eyes narrowed into a glare while her face simultaneously flushed with anger. She looked about half a second away from strangling Justin, so Daphne decided it was a good time to intervene. "Hey Brit, how about you and me head out to the lot and bring the car around? We'll leave the boys to handle the heavy bags. Hm?"

She preened triumphantly and pranced past Justin with a smile. _What the fuck ever_. Justin groused to himself. _If she wants to think she 'won' just because me and this tool are taking care of her shit, that's fine. At least I don't have to look at her obnoxious face while I do it._

Justin took several irate steps forward before stopping to look back at Brian. He hadn't moved an inch, a contemplative and indiscernible expression ghosted across his features. "What are you waiting for, Brody? Move your ass. The queen awaits."

"Brian," he mumbles snapping out of his thoughts to shuffle grudgingly behind him. "My name is _Brian_."

"Mhm." Justin tromps ahead disinterestedly, scowling at the fact that Brian's long legs allow him to catch up. "You know you're crazy, right? For wanting to marry her?" He laughs humorlessly to himself. "Or maybe you don't really _want_ to. But for whatever reason, you're making a mistake."

The brunet's brow creases with his heated reply. "You don't know me."

"You're right, I absolutely don't. But I know that if you really wanted to marry her you'd have to be as bad as she is, so maybe I don't want to either. But I'd like to think that you aren't like that. That there aren't that many utterly contemptible people in the world. So what then? Do you need her money? Is she pregnant?"

"We're getting married because I l-" he almost chokes on the word. "Because I want to, and that's all there is to it. There's no ulterior motive." There's a surge of electricity thrumming through Brian's body. He wants to reach out and strangle this stupid kid for spouting out stupid bullshit. "You know, you're not exactly a saint yourself- bad mouthing your sister the first chance you get. Practically trying to ruin her life! How does that make you any better than she is?"

Justin just arched a brow, unaffected. "If you have to ask, then you don't really know her." They both stop in front of the luggage claim, where he continues almost cheerfully. "Pick what's yours, Barry, I'm not a psychic."

Brian, fuming, swoops into his personal space, towering over him menacingly. The air between them crackles with tension; hostility almost knocks the air out of them, like small, merciless fists clenching around their lungs. "**Brian**." He leans into him slightly as he reaches past him. "Make yourself useful," he snaps with finality, pushing an undoubtedly designer duffel bag into his chest.

"I thought that meeting my family would scare you off, but it looks like you might actually fit right in." Justin plastered on a sugar-sweet smile, but his tone was every indication Brian needed to know that wasn't a compliment. "I guess my parents will end up getting the son they always wanted!"

"Why the fuck are you even here if you're just going to be a shit the whole time? Is it just to play the little misfit martyr? Because I don't feel sorry for you. Look at all the other billion shitty families in the world and reconsider your reoccurring roll as a bitter-" He stops himself abruptly, letting the end of his sentence banish itself into some irretrievable space.

Justin stands up a little straighter in the face of his antagonist's discomfort. "No, go ahead and finish your sentence. A bitter what?"

"I wasn't going to… to…" He fumbles for words like and imbecile, inexplicably thrown off his game.

"To call me a faggot? Or a homo? Or any derivative thereof?"

Brian shakes his head vehemently. "No! I wouldn't do that. I don't care… It makes no difference… I mean, I used to have a friend that was, you know, _gay_."

The blond threw his head back in a laugh. "I never get tired of hearing that from people." His lips were still tweaked upward in a slight smile, and his blue eyes sparkled with amusement. The sight smoothed some of Brian's ruffled feathers, and the man visibly relaxed. "Like it actually offers confirmation that you 'accept' me or something. Or like all queers know each other, and I'm just dying to know which of my brethren is your pal so I can get a full background check on you."

"You're kind of a smartass." Brian glared, but in good humor.

"Just kind of? I'm slacking off then. It's part of my charm. You'll get used to it. Maybe if you stick around long enough I'll let you see some of my redeeming qualities, too. Now let's get going Bobby."

Brian sighed as he watched Justin stroll off ahead of him, a strange twist in a gut that he'd blame on the unpleasant flight. "Whatever you say, Jason."


	2. I Don't Know You, But I Want You

**Big thanks to anyone who reviewed or anything on the first chapter! I probably would've had this out earlier, but I completely rewrote this twice... So here it is! Enjoy =]**

* * *

"Justin honey," Jennifer Taylor popped her head out of the kitchen. "Could you do me a favor and take a stack of clean towels up to the guestroom? I forgot to stock up, and Brian's up there showering."

From his place on the couch he glanced between his mother in the doorway and Britney in the armchair across from him. He rolled his eyes and flipped his sketchbook shut, handing it off to Daphne. "Sure, whatever."

He made sure to make extra noise as he stomped his way up the stairs.

Once at the top, making an abrupt left turn into the guestroom, there was a brief moment of panic as Justin heard the water cut off. It was one of those moments where time stood still, where he could hear his pulse thumping in his ears, where he just knew he was about to make a really stupid decision for no other reason than his brain just coming to a crashing halt. The doorknob jiggled and twisted and he… Just… Froze.

Brian didn't appear to be startled, or even so much as put off. Instead he arched an expressive brow and reached out to pry a towel from Justin's stunned grip. He shook his hair out like a dog, smirking as flecks of water speckled Justin's cheeks, and wrapped the soft, fluffy towel loosely around his hips.

"You're not shy, are you?" Justin laughed nervously, making sure his eyes never strayed from Brian's face. Well, not _too_ much anyway.

The brunet shrugged and strutted over to the open closet, where he'd already hung up most of his clothes. "I don't have any reason to be." He looked over at Justin with a deceitfully innocent expression. "Unless you think otherwise?"

"What? No! Of course not. You look fucking-" He literally bit his tongue before his inability to properly censor his thoughts got the better of him. "I mean, you're fine I guess. Better looking than most of Britney's beaus. You're not exactly my type, though."

With a clearly unconvinced chuckle Brian glanced over his shoulder as he laid his outfit out on the bed. "Keep telling yourself that, but I know better. I'm _every_body's type."

If Justin looked anymore like a deer in headlights he'd have a tuft of fur sprouting out of his ass as a tail. Was Brian actually flirting with him? Stranger things had happened but… Christ! This was déjà vu, and Justin _so_ did not want to go down that road again.

Before Justin could convince himself to make an escape Brian snapped the towel from around his waist and tousled his wet hair. The poor boy's eyes must have quadrupled in size. "Oh my God! You have an **amazing**-" _Fuck, restrain yourself Justin!_ "Er, sense of style." He turned away from Brian and ran his fingers lightly over the sweater spread neatly across the mattress. "This is exquisite."

"Yeah, I hear that a lot." His eyes were warm and soft, and the laughter in them made Justin melt six ways to Sunday.

He was definitely in trouble.

"I should go…" Justin started hesitantly. "Dinner's almost ready. My mom will want help…"

Brian turned his back on him and started to get dressed. "Later."

"Yeah." A smile split his face in two, and he practically floated back down the stairs. His head was spinning and a fluttering warmth was burgeoning in the pit of his stomach. Fuck, he felt so ridiculous. Ridiculous for acting like a silly little woman. Ridiculous for reading too far in to Brian's actions. Ridiculous for letting himself even consider putting himself through the same damn thing again.

He caught Britney's cold stare when he reached the bottom of the steps. It was like a bucket of ice water was tossed over him. All thoughts of Brian and happiness were squelched, replaced with memories… Images. Justin flinched and hurried past her into the kitchen.

"Justin? What's wrong?" Jennifer stopped him with her hands framing his face. He was clammy and visibly shaking. "You don't look like you feel well."

He squirmed away from her and mustered a weak smile. "I'm fine, I promise. Just a little tired. You know how I get." Slipping past her he picked the stack of plates and silverware up off the counter. "I'll set the table."

In the dining room Daphne was attached to his side in an instant. No rest for the weary. "Spill."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Daph." He brushed her off, arranging a fork beside a plate just so. "Could you get some glasses?"

Daphne rolled her eyes and pressed in further, making their conversation more private. "No. And fuck you, Justin. Don't try and keep things from me. I'm your best friend. I know every one of your expressions better than my own. You came down here looking like you saw the face of God, and then you hightailed it into the kitchen looking like you just woke up from one of your nightmares."

Justin glanced around nervously, making sure everyone else was a safe distance away. "It's Brian. He gives off this vibe…" At Daphne's furrowed brow he quickly amended his statement. "Not a psychopathic homophobe vibe. One of _those_ vibes. You know…"

"A gay vibe?" She whisper shouted, bouncing on her toes. "He's to die for! That's fantastic!"

"Don't encourage me!" He complained swatting at her. "He's engaged to my sister! You know what could happen- what _did_ happen! I can't go through something like that again, no matter how sexy and devilishly charming the closet case may be."

Daphne swatted him back. "This totally isn't high school, Justin, and Brian's definitely not _you know who_! He's smart, he's got a good head on his shoulders, and kind eyes if you look hard enough. I'm sure he won't be the first to admit it, but I'm willing to bet he's an amazingly sweet guy. Maybe he doesn't know he's gay yet. Maybe he's scared! You can't fault him for that."

"You're right, but I _can_ fault him for proposing to Britney. Now, I deem this conversation officially over." Justin turned around determinedly just as Brian was prancing down the stairs. His resolve didn't _immediately_ crumble… It took a few seconds.

Brian smiled and squeezed into the space between Justin and Daphne. Justin's knees turned to rubber at that smile. At the whiff of his spicy aftershave and minty breath. He wanted to devour him. Nibble on those sensual lips and flawless bronze skin. He had to bite back a moan at the thought.

An olive green v-neck sweater fit snugly over Brian's chest and arms- some of his better attributes. Justin knew the _best_ attribute. He certainly got an eyeful earlier. Still, he wanted to run his hands over the muscles, encased in soft fabric or not. Preferably not.

Brian's hair was tousled stylishly in an '_I don't give a fuck_' sort of way that Justin was sure was actually quite calculated. It was chestnut and hypnotizingly shiny. There weren't a lot of straight men with such healthy hair. It looked soft and Justin's fingers had itched to caress it. He also wondered how it smelled. Probably wonderful.

"Justin?" The man looked worried, but Christ, the sound of his name falling from those lips had his heart swelling in his chest. He'd officially gone crazy. That had to be it. No man was really this irresistible on his own. The only reason Justin was so utterly infatuated was because he couldn't have him. "You look sick. Are you okay?"

Brian brought the back of his hand gently to Justin's forehead and dragged it down the side of his face so tenderly it was almost a caress. "You're warm."

The room- Daphne, walls, floor, and all- seemed to fall away, as well as Justin's thoughts. There was just a static whoosh left in Justin's ears and the feel of Brian's hand against his cheek. His wobbly knees finally gave in, forcing him to brace himself on Brian's arms or crumple to the floor.

"Justin!" The blond jumps, startled, and snaps his eyes over to his impatiently glowering father standing in the doorway to the kitchen. "Get your hands off of Britney's boyfriend. You're making him uncomfortable."

"Fiancé," Britney cut in icily as she stalked over from the living room. "Brian's my _fiancé_."

Flashing a smug smirk, Justin jumps at the chance to push her buttons. "Worried?"

Instead of the desired indignant response she pins him with a warning look. "Why should I be? If history repeats itself, _you're_ the one who needs to watch his back."

Brian might've been painfully out of the loop, but he definitely noticed both Daphne and Justin go rigid on either side of him. What the fuck? Brian tried to garner some kind of clue from the emotions rolling off of Justin's tense body in waves, but as soon as the younger man noticed he was being observed he wiped his slate clean.

"You know what?" Daphne hissed clenching her fists at her side, but Justin shook his head curtly and muttered an objection.

"I can take care of myself," he asserted firmly, though he refused to meet anyone's eyes. "I'm not scared of her. She's a low class cunt that talks a big game, but she and I both know she doesn't control shit."

Craig grabbed Justin roughly by the arm and pulled him away from Brian and Daphne in an attempt to isolate and intimidate him. "That's **enough**. You're too old for these attention seeking games and rebellious stunts. It's time to shut your mouth, smile, and support your sister for once in your life."

"Right," Justin snorted, jerking out of his father's grasp. "Let's see all of you put on a happy face when _I_ find a husband." At his challenge Craig openly scowled and took a menacing step forward.

Britney huffed in outrage. "He's been doing this _all_ day, Dad! Obviously he's jealous about what I have- about what I'm _allowed_ to have! And because he's a snotty little brat he's trying to make everyone feel uncomfortable by throwing his sexuality in our faces!"

Next to her Brian opened his mouth to comment, but the move went ignored as Craig launched into his next tirade. "I don't see how he can be jealous when it's his choice to give those things up. It certainly gives him no right to flaunt his disgusting lifestyle as punishment. If this sort of thing continues then he won't have a place in this family! It's one thing to keep your desires discreet, we gave you that much, but prancing around town like you're _proud_ of it?"

"Excuse me!" Brian barked, and four startled pairs of eyes fell on his stony face. "But why exactly do you _care_ Mr. Taylor? How do his 'desires' effect you at all? Unless he's fucking guys on the dinner table, I'm pretty sure he's not flaunting anything. Why wouldn't he be proud of his life? He knows what he wants and nothing, not even his close-minded family, is going to stop him from getting it. I respect that. It takes a lot of courage to be different. But you wouldn't know anything about that. So if you're trying to scare him into submission, then I wouldn't threaten to kick him out of the family. He doesn't look like he'd mind that too much."

Justin cracked a smile as Britney turned to her fiancé in bewilderment. "Brian, what the hell has gotten in to you? I know you have a temper, but this is a little outrageous, don't you think? I'm going to be your _wife_ in three months. You're supposed to be on my side!"

"And?" He arched a brow defiantly. "Tying the knot doesn't mean anything. I'm not going to turn into your lackey. I still have a mind of my own. If you're wrong, I'm still going to call you on your bullshit." Brian makes his dramatic exit, pushing between Craig and Justin to get to the backdoor. "I'm going for a smoke."

The entire left side of Justin's body burned from the barely there contact of Brian's shoulder against his. His stomach was doing somersaults, and his initial impression that maybe there was a piece of Brian that wasn't as 'made for Britney' as it seemed looked to be more and more plausible . He could be wrong- he had been before- and maybe it was just hopeful thinking on his part, but either way he had to find some way to get Britney's claws out of him.

He was a good man. Justin could tell that much in just a few hours, even taking into account his surly attitude and scathing remarks. It was strange in itself that Britney had set her sights on him. Justin knew from experience that none of her past boyfriends were particularly friendly. It was even more curious, though, that Justin actually gave a shit. Experience also told him that men- gay, straight, whatever- were hardly worth anything.

He follows Brian outside anyway.

"Don't even think about thanking me." Brian grumbles without looking over his shoulder, fumbling with his lighter.

Justin approaches him slowly, drinking in the best view in Pittsburgh. He's bent over slightly, elbows perched on the porch railing, facing away from him at an angle. Justin doesn't think he's ever seen a more beautiful back. A soft smile dances across his lips. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"I just hate when people gang up on someone." Brian continues, ranting more to himself than the blond to his left. "It's a shitty thing to do. Especially to your family. They can lie to themselves and say it's because they _care_, but it's a load of shit. You can either accept someone as they are, or make everybody involved miserable while you-"

"Brian." Justin lightly touches the older man's arm, making him jump. "What about you? Does your family accept you?"

He straightens up stiffly and takes a desperate drag on his cigarette. "Don't."

"Alright. Fine. But… Can I ask you something serious?" He boldly reaches out to pluck the cigarette from Brian's distracting lips and brings it to his own. Swirls of smoke rush out of Justin's nostrils, clouding the air, stifling the intensity between hazel and blue. "What do you see in her?"

Brian shrugs and tries to tear his eyes away from Justin's mouth. "She's beautiful. And smart; talking to her isn't terrible. She has a pretty okay sense of humor, too, I guess. She's ambitious. I appreciate her want for the finer things…"

Flicking the last stub of nicotine out into the grass Justin looks up at him with a scowl. "She's **beautiful**? You're marrying that woman because she got a little lucky in the gene lottery? What the fuck is wrong with you? How can you make that sort of commitment to someone on so little?"

"'That woman' is your sister. Marriage doesn't mean anything to me- I said as much inside. I wouldn't even be doing this if she hadn't strong armed me into it. She knows where I stand. I don't believe in _love_."

"Then what **do** you believe in?" Justin challenged, leaning into him a fraction of an inch. "Fucking? Having a nice, warm body writhing under you? Why not, right? Because it's something obtainable to you, and if you close your eyes you just might be able to imagine it's what you really want."

Brian gives him a sharp glare. "I'm sorry, I wasn't aware you were a recruitment officer. Fuck you, Justin, you don't know what I want."

"I've known you, what, five hours maybe? And already it's always 'you don't know who I am' or 'you don't know what I want.' I think the real issue is, do _you_? It doesn't matter to me either way. I'm not my sister, I'm not going to try and push and manipulate you into who I want you to be. But whenever you figure yourself out, either way, this thing with Britney is a mistake. She'll ruin you."

He looks over at Justin ruefully. "You're smart, Justin. Smarter than she is, smarter than your dad, and probably smarter than you should be. It scares them, and when people are scared they lash out. Believe me, I know all about it. You're an okay kid, though, so I wish you didn't have to understand that too."

"You're avoiding my point, Brian. And go to hell, I'm not a kid, either. I'm twenty-four, just the same as Britney, so you can fuck yourself and your ridiculous notion that I should remain blissfully unaware about the ways of the world. I probably know more than you do, by virtue of not being afraid to be who I am."

Brian looked dumbfounded for a minute. "You and Britney… I didn't know you two…"

"Shared a womb? It doesn't surprise me. She probably wouldn't admit to being vaguely related to me if she had the choice. I guess it's just her luck that I look all of twelve years old. I'm sure there's a lot more you don't know about her."

He swallowed hard and peered cautiously at the shorter man. "What happened back there? I mean, what was she talking about? Threatening you with?"

"None of your _fucking_ business." Justin snapped, turning his face away from Brian. "Look, you've done your good deed for the day, so just leave me alone, alright? Go back to your closeted fantasy land where you run off to the altar with the first pair of tits you see. I have better things to do than waste my time with a coward with a misplaced hero complex."

Brian spins him around and pins him against the railing with his hips. "I'm not the one who stares too long, or lights up like the fucking sun when you enter the room. I don't start to shiver and shake and faint when ever you're close to me. I'm not blind and I'm not gay. You can keep your insults and unrequited crush to yourself. I'm not interested in any of it."

He storms off back into the house, but all Justin can do is smile at his back. If the major boner he was feeling against his stomach is any indication, then Brian's a fucking liar. Somebody's _very _interested.


	3. A Lack Of Color

Psh, no it totally hasn't been a year since I updated... Okay, so it has. My computer crashed way back ago, and it was something that was vastly discouraging, as I lost everything. EVERYTHING. But now I'm back! So, um, accept my apologies? *hopeful smile*

* * *

Justin walked into the diner during his lunch hour and lit up when he saw Lindsay sitting in a booth with Mel, Ted, Michael, and Emmett. He practically bounced over to where they were sitting, bending over to place a kiss on Lindsay's stomach. "How did the appointment go?"

"Well," she began, drawing out her words to heighten Justin's anticipation. "It might please you to know that we'll be having a beautiful baby girl."

"Really?" Justin's heart swelled and fluttered. "My mom's gonna shit. Wow. That's amazing. And she's healthy and everything so far?"

Mel reached across Lindsay to put a loving hand on Justin's arm. "Are you kidding? Our kid's got Taylor blood. You better bet she's fucking indestructible!"

Chuckling Justin pulled the two women into a hug. If someone would have told him a couple years ago that he'd be having a baby with a nice WASP lady he'd have jumped off a bridge, all while his asshole father was doing a victory lap. As it were, he was pretty damn thrilled. And his father didn't have a clue. As far as Justin was concerned he could go to his grave without knowing he had a grandchild. A granddaughter. Shit, this was really happening.

"She's going to be beautiful," Emmett sighed, ever the drama queen, with tears in his eyes.

Over the rim of his coffee cup Ted hummed his agreement. "A real blonde bombshell for sure. And a heart breaker, if you have any influence."

"Let's hope she takes after her mommies when it comes to relationships. She'll be smart and be a happy little lezzie instead of braving the minefield of men." Justin slides into the booth, squishing Emmett and Ted closer together.

"Oh boy," Michael teased. "Which asshole's gone and stolen Boy Wonder's heart now?"

"He's not an- Well okay he _is_, but-" Fuck. "I mean no one."

Emmett clapped his hands and practically leapt on Justin. "Ooh, spill! Tell me all about him. Is he gorgeous? Funny? Good in bed?"

Blushing, the blond fixed his stare on the salt and pepper shakers, which were instantly the most interesting things in the world. "He's gorgeous, funny, and in the closet."

"Minor obstacle," Ted assured.

Lindsay nodded. "Ted's right. Everyone's entitled to their doubts in the beginning. Sexuality's a scary thing. Maybe he just needs a great guy like you to show him the light."

"He's engaged to Britney."

"Shit." Michael deadpanned. "You do have bad taste."

Lindsay furrowed her brow in concern. "Justin… Now I know you're an adult, and you're very smart and intuitive, but… But have you really thought this through? Considering your history-"

"My history is irrelevant," Justin snapped sliding back out of the booth. "I can't let the past dictate everything I do. Between me and him, one of us should have some courage, don't you think?"

Grabbing his wrist before he could leave, Lindsay looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. "I just want you safe. I care about you. And our baby. Our baby needs you. I'm just asking you to be careful."

Justin's features softened. "Hey, you said I was smart, remember? I learn from my mistakes."

He turned to leave, stopping by the counter to pick up his to go order that Deb had gotten together when she saw him arrive. Lindsay watched him go, rubbing circles onto her stomach. "I sure hope so," she whispered as he disappeared out the door.

* * *

The garage door was open, showing Justin that Jennifer's car was still comfortably in place, while Craig's was nowhere to be seen. Good. He could tell his mom the good news without having to sneak around behind his dad's back.

He unlocked the front door and kicked his shoes off in the foyer. He dropped his messenger bag by the stairs and headed towards the kitchen where he figured his mom might be. "Hey Mom, I've got some great news about-"

Justin stopped short, eyes going as wide as saucers. This was about the last thing he thought he'd find in the kitchen. It was half-life-scarring and half-the best-thing-he'd-ever-see. Britney was perched on the island, blouse unbuttoned to expose her white lace bra and legs locked around Brian's waist. Brian's pants were around his knees as he kept his face buried in Britney's neck.

The second that Justin was about to creep away unnoticed the brunet lifted his head and hazel met blue. Brian's body tensed and shuddered. "Justin," he gasped in what one might mistake as shock, but Justin knew better.

The smirk that graced Justin's lips fell as soon as Britney's head snapped around to glare at him. "What the hell Justin?" She roughly pushed Brian away and straightened out her clothes. Hopping down off of the counter and stomped towards her brother with a look that could kill. She shoved him, bouncing his head off the doorjamb. "You ruin everything."

Brian and Justin could hear the prissy blonde stomping up the stairs in the background, but they paid no mind. Justin grimaced and rubbed the sore spot on the back of his head as Brian awkwardly pulled his pants up and looked everywhere but at the man in front of him. "I should go, I guess," Justin mumbled edging away.

"Don't," Brian offered too quickly. He ran a hand through his hair and cleared his throat. "Um, this is your house Justin. We shouldn't have been doing that down here. Or here at all. If anyone should feel obligated to make a hasty exit, it's me."

Justin shrugged, a teasing glint in his eyes. "Don't worry about it. I might want to rip my eyeballs out right now, but I'm sure you have to jump at any chance to get laid- inappropriate venue or not."

"Oh I get laid plenty, thank you."

An infuriating hum of doubt. "Of course, of course. I'm just sure that fucking in my parents kitchen is probably in Britney's list of the kinkiest things she's ever done. Unfortunate for a guy like yourself. I can tell just by the way that you carry yourself that you're a very sexually driven man. It must be disappointing to only get head on special occasions or when she's feeling guilty."

"Do you make a habit of keeping track of how stimulating your sister's sex life is?" He sneered.

"Trust me, I'd give anything to be completely ignorant of what her embarrassingly vanilla rendezvous entail. However, we used to be very, very close up until senior year of high school, and I'm sure you know that she hasn't been a virgin since she was fifteen. She told me everything from how much she hates oral, to how she withheld sex for two weeks after Tyler Allensworth pulled her hair during his climax."

Brian narrowed his eyes. "Everyone has their taste, doesn't make her a lousy lay."

"Oh please," Justin waved him off, pushing him aside in favor of opening the refrigerator. "I'm sure she's as selfish and uptight in bed as she is in her daily life."

The taller man reached over Justin's shoulder and shut the fridge. "Maybe I bring out the best in her."

"Her best is still cringe-worthy," he shot back, closing his eyes as the wave of heat from Brian's body washed over him.

The arm that was resting on the fridge slid down to wrap around the front of Justin's shoulders. Brian tipped his head so his lips rested right next to the blond's ear. "You have a little comment for everything, don't you?"

"It's a talent." Justin swallowed thickly, bringing his hands up to clutch desperately at the arm that rested at the top of his chest. "I'm talented in a [i]multitude[/i] of ways."

Brian huffed a laugh and freed his arm. "Is everything about sex with you?"

"Yes." Justin answered candidly, turning to face him. "Of course it is. I'm gay. You'd feel the same too if you went after people with the sort of anatomy that you desired."

The brunet rolled his eyes, but couldn't entirely squelch the smile that played at his lips. "You're a stubborn little shit. And you think you know everything. But you don't."

"I know enough."

"You're more like your sister than you think. Did you know that?" Brian raised a challenging brow.

Ouch. Apparently they were both throwing powerful punches today. Okay. "Pray tell, Mr. Kinney." Justin snidely replied, pulling a bratty face.

"Well for starters you both have a habit of not listening to a word anyone else says to you. You both hear what you pretty ears want to. You're bold, and determined, and relentless. And you both drive me insane."

"Ah, well I'll give you that much," he allowed. "But the similarities end there, seeing as though I have a soul, a conscience, and integrity."

Brian's face darkened at that. "She and I are compatible in that respect."

"I don't believe it," Justin assured defiantly.

The older man shook his head, face softening. "You don't believe a word I say."

"Well that's because you're full of shit." Justin grinned. "I'm on to you." Oh, how he'd love to be on him. All over him. Around him. In him.

"Now is that because you're intuitive, or because you seem to be my personal little stalker lately?" When Justin spluttered indignantly for a response Brian continued. "Yeah, don't think I haven't realized that you've walked in on me naked twice the past couple of days. It's starting to get suspicious."

Fighting a blush off his pale cheeks, Justin stood up a little straighter, padding his words with bravado. "Believe me, when it's intentional you'll know." He gave Brian a predatory smile. "I'm not subtle. If I were to decide to make a move, you wouldn't even have the wits about you to say no."

"That confident, are you?"

"Oh yeah. And once you had me there'd be no turning back. My ass is so tight it's like a gift from the gods. And I give head good enough to fry your brain."

Brian certainly did not forget how to breathe for an entire five seconds. And there was obviously no way that he felt his blood rushing south. There was no way he was even imagining what Justin's lips might look like wrapped around his- "I have to go!" Brian inhaled deep and started again. "I've got to make some calls to some real estate agencies."

"What?" Justin blinked blankly in confusion.

"Britney didn't tell you…"

Justin gripped his own hair painfully. "She's… She's moving back? You're both moving here? To Pittsburgh? What the fuck for?"

"For a lot of reasons," Brian grumbled uncomfortably. "She wanted to be closer to your parents, and I wanted to start my own Ad Agency. New York is a little fast paced and flashy to start a family, and way too competitive and high end for a new boutique ag-"

"Wait, wait, wait!" Justin cut him off, moving his claw-like fingers from his hair to the material of Brian's shirt. "Starting a family? Is she pregnant, Brian?"

He pried the blond off of him coolly and rubbed the wrinkles out of his shirt. "No. Not yet anyways. But we are engaged. Babies do come eventually."

"That's awfully serious, Brian. You can always divorce her, but you can't send a kid back to the friendly stork. You could really screw a kid up."

"Thanks," Brian drawled sarcastically, not entirely hurt by the declaration. He knew a thing or two about lousy parents, and figured it was probably something that was genetic. "What do you know about screwing kids up?"

Justin didn't take the bait of Brian's light tone. "I know that my dad isn't the most nurturing guy around, and my mom doesn't stand up for me half as often as she should. And I know that… That I have this friend that came to me a few months ago asking me for a favor. That favor changed my life. I have a kid on the way. A baby girl. And I know that I would never want Britney to even lay her eyes on her. I wouldn't want to bring her into a family that I knew from the start had the potential to hurt her."

"I don't know what your problem with Britney is, but-"

"This isn't about her!" Justin shouted, slamming a fist down against the counter. "I know what it looks like Brian, and I'm not out to ruin her life. Really, I'm not. I'm just the guy the cleans up after her mistakes. A heartbroken kid isn't something I can fix."

Justin brushed past the brunet and hurried towards the door. His emotions were getting the better of him, and he was getting that ill feeling that always crept up deep in the pit of his stomach when his memories caught him off guard. The walls were closing in and his world was tilting a little on its axis.

"Who appointed you as the person that has to trail after her, righting all her wrongs?" Brian didn't call after him, just kept his voice steady and soft. It was more commanding in its caressing tone, coaxing the answers from Justin.

The blond barely pivoted on his heel, avoiding Brian's eyes by focusing just left of his perfectly sculpted face. "I did."


End file.
